The Pettiest Of Things
by She Can't Find Me Now
Summary: Sequel to Oh, Wow, Akatsuki. They're growing up! My summaries suck. Deal with it.
1. The Beginning

~8 years later~

"Oww! You little! Quit that!" Aika screamed at Takeo, her older brother.

"I'm older! I don't have to!" Aika growled then yelped when Takeo yanked on her red locks.

"DADDY! TAKEO'S HURTING ME!" Aika screeched. Takeo ran across the room. Hidan walked into the room and saw his daughter crying and holding the back of her head.

"Takeo? What'd you do?"

"N-nothing, Daddy." Hidan kissed the top of Aika's head.

"Play nice, or mommy will have to deal with you." Honestly, Hidan didn't know why they feared their mother 'dealing with them' because she hadn't ever done it, so the assumed it'll be a bad thing when she does.

"Yes, Daddy. I love you!" Aika shouted at her father as he walked away. "Takeo, you'll pay, I promise." Aika smiled a wicked grin and turned back to her current project, a picture of some random thing that appeared in her dream. Takeo walked up to her cautiously.

"Hey, sis, what're you drawing?" Aika shrugged.

"This thing just came in my dream, he looked kinda like a skeleton but had a real body. Yeah, it's really weird, the man was laughing and shouting and stuff like that. It was weird."

Takeo blinked. "And that didn't scare you?"

Aika shook her head. "Nah, not really…I guess after seeing the same thing about seven times, you get used to it." Takeo nodded.


	2. Freak

~6 Month Skip~

"Hey, where's Amaterasu?" Takeo mumbled.

"Hn. Lets go look?" Aika suggested and Takeo nodded and they got up then ran to Deidara's and Sasori's room.

Aika softly knocked on the door. Sasori came to the door.

"Uncle Sasori? Do you know where Amaterasu is? I'm sorta worried, y'know? She's always so quiet…" Sasori nodded and let the two into his room. There sat Ryuu, Amaterasu, and Raiden playing on the floor.

"Oh! Amaterasu! There you are!" Aika ran to her fraternal triplet.

"Aika, how many times have I told you? Go. Away. Little brat." Amaterasu stated. Aika's heart clenched and tears stung her eyes. She ran off, shoving past Sasori, who had just watched the scene. Aika stumbled but caught herself from face planting and headed for the door, she had always wanted to leave this base, see the outside world.

She felt more tears fill her eyes. She bolted through the hallway and got three feet away from the door when Kakuzu's threads grabbed her middle and all four of her limbs, immobilizing her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Aika sniffed.

"Away… Well, I wanted to." Kakuzu walked up to her and let her go but quickly scooping her up before she was able to run off again.

"Can you talk?" Aika nodded.

"Well, Ama was playing with the boys ,she told me to go away and that she didn't want me around."

"Yes, that's right. I don't want you around, so stop trying , ya little freak. Don't call me 'Ama' again."

"How am I a freak? What do you know that I don't?"


	3. Wintertime

"You think I don't know?" Amaterasu started to scare Aika. "I know about your dreams. That's right. You're a freak." Aika tried to squirm out of Kakuzu's hold, but to no avail.

"I-I am not a freak, Amaterasu! You just…you just… GAH! Need to go DIE! Burn in Hell, Bitch!" Kakuzu was momentarily stunned so Aika ran off.

"Watch what you drink, Aika." Amaterasu chuckled and walked over to the fridge. Kakuzu had guessed that Aika was in the room He and Hidan still shared. He peaked his head in.

"Eerr, where did it go? Hidan needs to organize his shit!" Wait, Aika just called her dad by his real name? When had she ever done that? "Haha, there you are!" Aika grabbed a brand new kunai from the box that Hidan just bought.

_Is she really planning on killing her sister?_ Kakuzu wondered but he was stripped form his thoughts when Aika spoke again.

"Hn. Am I really going to do this? I-I mean I don't even have the guts, Amaterasu was right…" Aika threw the kunai across the room and ran back to the door but was stopped by Kakuzu.

"What were you planning on doing with that kunai?" Kakuzu accused.

"Whatever I felt like doing with it." Aika back talked to Kakuzu for the first time. Each child had their own adult, you could say. Aika had Kakuzu, Takeo had Rix, until she had been tragically killed by Suna nin, after loosing her belief in Jashinism. Sasori had ran off after the news hit the base and went on a little killing spree. 'Little' being an understatement. So, Takeo turned to his father. Amaterasu shared Sasori and Deidara with their children, as well.

"Hey! Ai! Where are you?" A boy's voice called from down the hall, definitely not Takeo's. Raiden walked up to her. "I don't think that Amaterasu was very nice…are you okay? I mean…" Raiden looked up at Aika and frowned. "Stop crying, it ruins that pretty face of yours." All of the kids had matured _way_ too quickly due to living with S-ranked criminals 24/7.

"Thanks Rai, but I'm fine, really…I just-" Raiden hugged her before she could finish. Kakuzu was still intent on figuring out what she was doing with that kunai. If anything happened like that again, he'd have to do something about it.

"C'mon, Ai. Forget about her, she's a weird girl, we can watch Daddy make his art or watch Poppa make _his_ art." Aika nodded her head and Raiden grabbed her hand and they walked down the hall then entered Deidara's and Sasori's room.

"So, Rai, which one? I would sorta would like to watch Uncle Sasori but Uncle Deidara looks like he's having fun." Raiden smiled.

"Lets watch Poppa then." Raiden walked over to Sasori with Aika by his side. Sasori looked over to them.

"Oh, Aika, are you okay?" She nodded.

"Watch your poisons, though. Amaterasu threatened to poison me, I'd really rather not die anytime soon." Aika sighed. "Uncle Deidara told me some stories and…um I don't want a bunch of senbon coated in poison in my lungs. Ma told me too." Sasori sighed and looked over to his desk.

"So…Poppa? It's wintertime, right?" Sasori nodded. "If it snows…can we please, _please_ go outside?" Sasori frowned but shook his head.

"I'm sorry but you kids can't leave the hideout." Aika groaned.

"That absolutely sucks." Raiden mumbled. Aika nodded in agreement.


	4. Your Smile

"It's Christmas! It's Christmas! Get up!" Takeo jumped on his mother's and father's bed.

"Okay, okay, we're up!" Hidan grumbled.

"You guys are late, everybody's out there, even Leader and Konan." They nodded and just walked out of their room in their pajamas, everyone else was most likely still in theirs.

"Hey! Ryuu! No opening them until everybody's got theirs!" Raiden shouted and Ryuu put the box down reluctantly. Soon everybody had their presents and they had started to rip apart the paper. Aika ran her fingernail across the tape, saving the brightly colored paper. She sighed and closed her eyes when she took off the wrapping, still having a box to open.

Rix and Hidan walked over to Aika. "Hey, we didn't get her anything in a box." Rix whispered and Hidan nodded and discretely pointed to Raiden who was quietly watching Aika open the box, not even opening his presents. She opened the box, and peered inside.

Aika gasped and smiled, a pure genuine smile, one she hadn't had on her face for a while. "One of you little sculptors made this for me." Deidara, Ryuu, and Raiden all looked at her. "…I'm guessing that it was…you!" Aika glomped Raiden and he fell on his back.

She got off of him then went to gently pick up the beautifully made clay rose. "You really like it?" Raiden asked. Ryuu turned his head and scowled then flicked his head away.

Aika smiled and nodded. "I _love_ it, Rai." He smiled then began to open his presents, which included three more bags of clay and a large sketch book.

_I like these presents and all, but Ai's smile was the best. That hug…was funny feeling, odd._ Raiden snapped back to reality and helped clean up the paper with the parents and Aika.

"I'm tired." Raiden mumbled as He sat next to Aika on the couch after cleaning up. He looked over to her and she was still fingering the rose, running her finger over every curve and crease. "You like it that much?"

"Oh, don't be stupid! I love it." Aika smiled which made Raiden's insides tingle and he smiled back. "It's beautiful." Aika whispered.

_Do you mean like you?_ "Thanks." Aika nodded her head.

"I'm going to put it away somewhere safe, away from Takeo and Amaterasu. Amaterasu will probably be jealous, she only got stuff from Mom and Dad." Raiden nodded his head and followed her into her room. Aika looked around the room. "I can't find anywhere."

Raiden looked around. "What about your dresser, it's only yours, right?" Aika nodded and opened the top drawer then gently placed it inside.

"Thanks so much for it, I only wish I had gotten you something too."

_That smile was more than enough._ "Oh, it's fine, I don't care if you gave me anything or not." Aika smiled.

"Y'know? You're sweet." Aika jumped when the door flung open.

"You're a brat!" Aika frowned.

"And you're a bitch, what's your point?"


	5. Equally?

~3 Year Skip~

"You think you're so special?" Aika shook her head. "Well, I'm pretty sure you do."

"I'm not special in anyway, what's your problem?" Amaterasu stormed over to Aika.

"_You_ are my problem!" Amaterasu punched her younger sister and the impact knocked her to the ground.

"Hey! Stop that!" Raiden yelled. Amaterasu stomped Aika's stomach once. "STOP IT!" Raiden screeched. Amaterasu grinned wildly at Raiden.

"What? This?" Amaterasu stomped Aika's stomach again, causing her to sputter blood. Amaterasu did it again. Raiden had had enough of Amaterasu and ran up to her, fist raised in a striking position.

"Bitch!" Within a mere second, Sasori was holding back Raiden, Hidan was holding back Amaterasu, and Kakuzu picked up Aika. A stream of blood emerged from the side of her mouth and she smiled.

"I was right. Amaterasu _did_ want me dead." Aika coughed blood up again. Kakuzu stared at Aika with sad eyes. Aika coughed more blood. Kakuzu hugged her closer and laid her down on her bed. He wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with his thumb. "Kakuzu?"

"Hm?" Aika looked away from the stitched nin.

"What would you say if…"

"If what?"

"I loved you? If I felt like you were more of a dad than Hidan?" Kakuzu was shocked. Was Aika shoving her father to the side for him?

"Hidan's your father, not me." Aika looked away again, hurt glazing over her eyes.

"He never asks me if I'm okay, it's always about Amaterasu. Can't you see that? Look, right there." Aika pointed over to Hidan and his eldest daughter. Hidan was holding her in his lap and stroking her silver hair, it was like a mirror image of Kakuzu and Aika. "I was the one stomped on and he hugging on the person who did it to me. I thought I was his daughter…I thought I was supposed to be special. I thought I was supposed to be loved equally among my sister and brother. I don't understand, Uncle. I just don't, my heart hurts. It's like everybody's stomping on my heart. You don't even want me."

Kakuzu frowned at the hurting redhead. "I do want you. Maybe you haven't given Hidan a chance?" Aika sighed.

"If he doesn't make the first move, he doesn't want to, and he won't." Kakuzu sighed.

"There are many things Hidan will do but leaving his daughter in the dust isn't one of them." Aika shook her head.

"Yeah, right." Aika jumped down from Kakuzu's lap and stood behind her older sister and her father. She drew the kunai she took from Hidan and stabbed herself in her stomach. She grunted but never screamed, cried, or pleaded for help. Kakuzu jumped off of the bed and scooped Aika up. Hidan never looked back until he heard drops of liquid hit more liquid.

"Hey, what's th-" He stared at Kakuzu and his youngest daughter, blood covering Aika's middle and Kakuzu's arms. The stitched nin had a death glare shot straight at Hidan.


	6. Leave

"How could you forget about her? How could you even? She wants you to love her or at least act like it but you don't even notice when she stabs herself two feet away from you." Kakuzu's eye twitched. "You're sick."

"Maybe she's crazy? I'm going to laugh when she dies from doing something stupid like that." Amaterasu stood up but Hidan grabbed her arm and jerked her back down.

"You dare wish death upon you're sister again and-"

"And what? You won't do a thing, will you?" Amaterasu jerked her wrist away from Hidan and walked up to Aika and Kakuzu. "Ha…you're so stupid…why would you use self-mutilation to get to Dad? You idiot." Amaterasu grabbed the kunai and before Hidan or Kakuzu could stop her, she pushed on the kunai and almost twisted it until a punch met her face with a crack.

"You -! Why would you be so cruel to Ai?" Raiden shouted. Amaterasu held her cheek and stared at Raiden in disbelief. "What? You didn't think you'd have your own medicine shoved down your throat? Huh? You evil little bitch!" Raiden went after Amaterasu again but stopped in mid-strike.

"Rai, don't." Aika's voice echoed through his mind. He ran up to Aika in Kakuzu's arms.

"Ai, don't speak. I need to fix you up." Raiden looked up to Kakuzu. "I need you to put pressure on the wound as I pull the kunai out then we need to wash it, you stitch her up, wrap it then change it every day." Kakuzu helped Raiden patch up Aika.

"Thank you, Raiden." Kakuzu thanked the redheaded boy.

"Yeah, thanks, ya little fucker." Hidan ruffled his hair. Raiden turned to face Hidan very slowly with The Glare of Death he got from his father.

"I don't want to hear it. Get out." Hidan scoffed.

"Excuse me?"

"Get. Out. Go comfort you oldest for no reason and forget Aika, like you always do, she doesn't need such a shitty father. Kakuzu is more of a father and would be better at it than you." Raiden snarled.

"You little shithead! She's my daughter!" Raiden growled low in his chest.

"Leave. I don't want to see you hurt her. Just go." A small moan came from Aika. "She's waking up. Leave, I don't want tears to stain her perfect face for some idiot like you."

_**Triple update for Storm! Yay! I barely get any reviews from my other readers, though. =/ I feel like I'm only writing this for Storm The Albatross. (She's crying right now.) Am not! I haven't cried in forever! (Bullshit. Think about Ja-) Shut up! Anyways, love you guys, even though you don't review.****^_^**_


	7. Lifeless

"Rai?" The said redhead rushed back over to her.

"Are you okay?" Aika tried to sit up but Rai gently pushed her shoulders back down. "Don't you'll rip the stitches."

Aika grinned and turned to Kakuzu. "Thanks." Kakuzu walked up to her.

"YOU EVER PULL THAT STUNT AGAIN AND I SWEAR!" Kakuzu screamed.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I really am." Aika closed her eyes. "I love you, Kakuzu." Kakuzu pulled her into a hug and shot a dirty look to Hidan, as if to say 'See? You screwed up and now she loves me more, you idiot.' Hidan's eyes filled with hurt from an invisible wound. He turned on his heels and stormed out of the door, slamming the door. "What was that?"

"Nothing important, believe me."

"Come here, Rai." Aika mumbled. He followed instruction and sat down next to Aika. "I'm sorry, guys, I wasn't thinking. This little image appeared in my head and…it told me what to do. It's been appearing in my dreams lately. It looked like a man had a skeleton painted on his body and he told me what to do, when to do it. I'm so, _so_ sorry." Kakuzu had to ask Hidan about her dream, it seemed like she was explaining him during his ritual.

"It's okay, Ai. Just don't do it _ever again_, got that?" Aika nodded and Raiden pulled her into a hug. She hugged back and Kakuzu wrapped his arms around the two and have them a hug.

"I'm tired, I'm sorry." Aika muttered. Kakuzu nodded his head.

"Raiden, stay with her and make sure she's okay." Kakuzu walked out of the room and shut the door quietly. Raiden looked over to Aika and she was already asleep on her side. He looked around, making sure nobody was still in the room then peered out into the hall and concluded it safe. He crawled onto Aika's bed and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

He felt himself being sucked into unconsciousness, healing the wound the best he could took a lot out of him.

Aika woke up hours after she had drifted away and felt something weighting her down by her waist. Slight panic filled the girl and she tried to sit up, only to be weighted down. Now she was filled with pure panic, who, what was this? Aika accidentally let a small whimper pass her lips.

"Ai, I'm here, you're safe." A groggy voice came from behind her, she turned around to find Raiden half asleep, holding her.

"Oh, uh…Rai? What's going on?" Raiden shot up and let go of Aika.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry. I just thought…I wasn't thinking-"

"Shut up, Rai. It's fine, I kinda liked it." Raiden smiled.

_She…liked me holding her…? _ Raiden sighed.

He pulled her into a hug. "Tell me you're okay." Aika sighed and he felt her nod her head. "Good." Raiden unconsciously raised his hand and began to stroke Aika's long red hair.

"That feels nice, Rai." Aika mumbled.

"Hm…" Kakuzu hummed from outside the room. He listened through the door some more.

"ACK! Rai!"

"Ha! Stop pulling my hair!"

"WHAT'RE YOU D-" Kakuzu stopped when he saw Aika on her back and Raiden seemed like he was tickling her, both frozen, scared lifeless.


	8. Fault

~3 Year Skip~ (Aren't these wonderful?)

Aika fell asleep on the couch earlier that day and everyone was watching a movie. Raiden noticed that Aika was shivering so he hugged his body close to Aika's and she immediately stopped shaking. She turned over so that she was facing Raiden. "Thanks, Rai." Raiden nodded his head, unbeknownst to him and Aika, the adults were watching…so was Amaterasu.

"Rai…?"

"Hm?"

"You're so sweet, y'know?" Aika softly kissed Raiden's cheek. He brought his hand up to touch his cheek, still in mild shock. Aika smiled at him and sat up to grab her water. "Do you want yours?" Raiden mindlessly nodded his head and sat up. Aika handed him his bottle, she took a sip and put the bottle down.

A pillow hit Aika's head. "'You're so sweet.' What's that shit? You dumbass!"

Aika's eye twitched. "Because he _is_ sweet! Amaterasu, why don't you back off and go back to planning my death, huh? Or wallowing in your bitter loathing for me? Just keep your bitchiness out of my way, got that?" Aika laughed. "You should really see your face, you try so hard to get to me and you fail miserably every time."

"Aika? Maybe you should stop being so blunt? I-I mean…" Raiden's voice turned into a whisper. "She _is_ crazy, you might push her over the edge…"

"CRAZY?" Amaterasu screeched and tackled Raiden.

"Amaterasu! GET OFF OF HIM! YOU'RE HURTING RAI!" Aika yelled as she tried to stop Amaterasu from suffocating Raiden with a pillow. Aika kicked Amaterasu in her side and knocked the air out of her, causing her to collapse to the side of Raiden and try to get air to fill her lungs again.

Aika loomed over Raiden. "Are you okay?" Raiden stared into Aika's violet eyes. Something overcome Raiden and his body acted by itself. He switched positions with Aika, he was over her. He grabbed her face and crashed his lips with hers. Aika's eyes widened and didn't participate in the kiss until Raiden began to pull away. She pushed her lips to his in a rough kiss.

"Aika! You whore!" Amaterasu yelled. Aika and Raiden were in their own little world, suffocating from lack of air. They broke apart, panting lightly. "Aika! I can't believe you!"

Aika finally snapped and had had enough of her sister. "I can't believe _you_!" Aika stormed over to her sister and picked her up by her throat then slammed her against the wall. Aika began to laugh then the laugh became to sound like she was insane.

Amaterasu stared into Aika's eyes, something evil drenched her usual pure and innocent looks. "You-you're a monster…" Amaterasu croaked. The parents rushed over to the two sisters, trying to brake Aika's grip.

"Aika! Let go of her!" Hidan ordered, panic in his voice.

"HA! Why? Why would I? He's told me to do it…why disobey?" Everything stilled.

"Who told you? Aika? Who's 'he'?" Kakuzu's cautious voice was very rarely permitted to come out of his mouth. _This hasn't happened for years… That man, the 'voice'…_

"I told you already. The man, who looked like he had a skeleton painted on his body…he told me. He told me his name but I don't remember." Hidan flinched.

"Aika…" He whispered disbelief in his words. Aika tightened her grip and a choking noise brought Raiden to Aika. He tackled her and she let go of her sister.

"RAI! I was in the middle of something!" Aika shouted. Raiden pulled her into another kiss, successfully calming her down and bringing her back into the real world. Her eyes changed back, that look, that crazy look was gone now and she seemed blank, distant.

"Ai? Are you okay? What happened?" Aika took a deep, shaky breath.

"Well, I-I don't know…"

"You said something about that guy again… I need you, I _really_ need you to remember. Can you?" Raiden asked, wanting to give answers to the adults.

"Well… Yeah, actually, yes." Aika nodded his head while talking.

"Who? Who was he?"

"Jashin! His name was Jashin." Hidan's stomach flipped.

"Aika? Are you serious? He told you to kill your sister?" Hidan asked.

"Yeah…" Aika sighed. "I'm a horrible person…Aren't I?" Raiden shook his head.

"No, Ai. You're a beautiful person, inside and out. Trust me." Aika was pulled into his lap and she curled up in his arms, clutching his shirt.

Hidan was grabbed by his collar and pushed against the wall by Kakuzu. "What does this mean? What's up with her?" Kakuzu's harsh whisper wasn't heard by others.

"Well, Jashin has chosen her…to be one of his prized and honorable immortals. On one condition… 'Kill thy neighbor'." Kakuzu's eye twitched and he shoved Hidan to the side. He then walked up to Aika and Raiden, who was still holding her.

"Aika, how are you?" Kakuzu asked, crouching down.

"Life sucks…I'm a bitch…I try to kill my sister…My parent ignores me…Other than that, I'm perfectly fine, thanks for asking." Raiden slowly rocked side to side, then kissed the top of Aika's head.

"Aika… It's not your fault, I mean it." Kakuzu assured.


	9. My Angel

_**Okay, so, I've read this fic and the chick had HORRIBLE English and Grammar. It's fried my brain. So I'm sorry if my fucked up brain cells made some humiliating grammar or English mistake that I didn't catch.**_

"Yeah, thanks." Aika sighed. "What's wrong with me, Kakuzu? Am I crazy? I'm not supposed to be hearing and seeing things like him. It's not normal." Aika and everybody felt an awkward silence fall. "I'll be…uh, back." Raiden had dropped his grip on her so she could stand. She was walking slowly, one minute then the next she had bolted to the door and had kicked it open.

"AIKA! Dammit! Get back here!" Kakuzu shouted.

Raiden shot up from his sitting position and headed for the door. "Ai! You'll freeze!" The ridged air hit Raiden's face and he looked around, he didn't see anything, until he saw a red flash. "AI! Come here!" The redhead did stop and hung her head. Raiden ran up to her and scooped her up in his arms, then carried her back into the base bridal style. "Ai? Look at me." Aika looked up to him. "You need some sleep, and you're going to have to talk to someone…possibly Kakuzu. He's worried."

"Okay…" Aika snuggled into Raiden's chest. He heard her breathing steady and once they got back into the base, he went straight into his room, ignoring the adults. Raiden pulled the covers down and placed Aika on the sheets, then climbed into his bed and pulled the covers over them both.

"Goodnight, Ai." Aika mumbled something incoherent and Raiden closed his eyes. He let sleep drag him away.

"RAIDEN!" Kakuzu literally broke the door down, waking Aika and Raiden. Aika jolted up and grabbed at her head.

"GAAH!" She began to scream. Raiden suddenly took action and put his hands on her shoulders, trying to shush her. Aika started to tear the sheets and blankets away but Raiden found enough leeway to straddle her hips.

"Shush…tell me what's going on, Angel." Aika's breath was heavy but had a confused look on her face.

"A-Angel?" Raiden nodded his head, smiling.

"Angel, you are perfect and even more beautiful than an angel, but Angel will have to work." Aika gave a weak smile and wrapped her arms around Raiden's neck.

"Rai? Can you get him to go away? Jashin won't let me be… I'm scared." Raiden moved off of Aika and pulled her into his lap. Kakuzu walked over to them and sat next to Raiden. Raiden's eyes silently asked 'Do you want to hold her?'. Kakuzu nodded and Raiden looked down to Aika.

"Ai… I'm giving you to Kakuzu." Aika nodded and she was passed to Kakuzu.

"Aika…I need you to tell me what he told you, why, who he is and you don't have to do anything he tells you, I promise." Kakuzu felt her head bob up and down, indicating a nod.

"He wants me to kill Amaterasu, Hidan, Rix…Wait, _Arixious_ and… He wants me to help the Akatsuki capture a Jinchūriki… He's been telling me that Uncle Leader will send me on missions soon and that…that if I don't I will die by the hands of-" A small sob disrupted her speech. "Of…"

"Of who, Aika?"

"Of…" Her arm shot out and she pointed to her left. "Raiden…but he would never hurt me, right?" Aika's big violet eyes looked up to Raiden. His heart sank and seemed to be crushed, pounded by a hammer. Then it was disbelief, then down right, pure rage.


	10. Hurt

_**Ugh! I looked at my chapters and—they're like soooo mega short that it's NOT FUNNY! So, I had this written up on one document , so I had to divide them up in chapters, so that's why. Sozzy guys! Storm! You know I love you!**_

_This guy…Jashin? Who the hell cares? He's messing with Aika's head, toying with her emotions then tells her That I would be the one to kill her. I? I meaning Me, Raiden Akasuna. The one who would die for her life, die for her safety, die for her health, die for her happiness, die for her breath, die for her smile, **die **…Die for…her, I would die for her._

"Rai? Rai? You wouldn't hurt me…would you?" Nothing. "Rai?" Aika's body shook. "Rai? Rai, please talk." Nothing. "Rai? Rai? Rai, would you? Would you kill me?" Nothing. Aika was pushing tears away, not wanting the flow to come. "Rai…?" Nothing. Her face became cold, emotionless. "Rai. I don't want to strangle the life out of you BUT SO HELP ME GOD IF YOU DON'T SPEAK!" Raiden's eyes shifted from a distant, glazed over look, back to worry. "Rai…you were thinking…about what? I want you to tell me if you would kill me first."

"Ai…I would never hurt you, ever. If you don't want me around," Raiden's heart clenched at the thought. "I'll be gone. If you don't want me to touch you, I'll never lay a hand on you _ever again_. I swear on my life." _Oh, God, oh, God… What's wrong with me? It…hurts. It won't stop. My chest… I need to talk to someone about this. There has to be something wrong with me…_

"As for what I was thinking, well…" Raiden looked down and away. _What should I say?_ He looked to Kakuzu and quickly decided to spit it out with a straight face. "Kakuzu, There's something wrong with me." _Well, it __**was**__ what I was thinking… Just not __**all **__of it._

"Excuse me?" Raiden sighed.

"Later." He looked back up to Aika. "I promise, I wouldn't do anything to purposely hurt you, any way, shape, or from. Are you okay now, Angel?" Aika nodded slowly. Raiden's chest was really getting to him. His breath hitched and his eyes screwed shut when another wave of pain shot through him.

"Raiden?" Kakuzu's serious voice made him crack his eyes open a bit. He took a deep breath.

"I'm fine." Kakuzu gave him the 'Stop-lying-you-know-you're-not' look.

"Rai? What just happened?" Aika asked, worried.

"Well, a little bit-tiny bit-of pain hit me. I'm fine."

"Of course you are…that's why you look like I just stomped your stomach." Raiden sighed.

"Yes, I am perfectly fine." _Oh, shit…there it goes again… WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?_ Aika moved from her position in Kakuzu's lap and moved over to Raiden.

"Rai…" _Say it, don't say it, Say it, don't say it, Say it, don't say it, Say it, don't say it… GAH!_

"Yes?" Aika looked up to Raiden.

"Uh…never mind." _I. Blew. It._ Raiden gave her a 'Are-you-sure-cause-you-don't-seem-like-'never-mind'-was-right' looks. "Wait, no…wait, never mind…Wait, yes…no…" Raiden held back a small laugh, Aika's confused look was absolutely priceless. "Yeah-I mean no…Ya see-nope. I wan-never mind."

"Either you say it or not, Sis." Takeo randomly popped his head in the room but left right after his words were spoken.

"He _is_ right, Ai. Speak now or forever hold your peace…or until you build up the confidence to speak with actual sentences." Aika glared at Raiden.

"Ha ha ha…so funny. Ha."

"Tsk, tsk, Ai. Sarcasm isn't a very nice thing to do." Seconds later Raiden had to dodge something shiny, pointy and most likely dangerous. The object embedded itself into the wall. Raiden's eye twitched. "Kami…Please protect me from Ai, thanks." O_o

"So…he promises not to hurt you yet you can throw a kunai at him?"

"Hell would freeze over before that changed." At that Kakuzu pulled Raiden off of the bed by the back of his collar and dragged him out of the room.

"Okay, Lover Boy, what's up with you?" Raiden looked away.

"Well, I get this really weird pain sometimes…in my chest and…it's just…weird."

"When does this happen?"

"Uh…well…" _Wait a minute… Aika._ Raiden's eyes widened. _No matter what happens, I come to Ai, and I always feel better. She's like a cure-all medicine for me. Why is that? This feeling…relief? Bliss? This euphoria that she gives me…is it really just an escape? What is this piece of heaven, mixed in with my life? I don't know how it happened. I don't understand why it happened. But, I think that…I really…may possibly…love Aika..._ He didn't know why that epiphany took so long to smack him in the face.

"Well?"

"Whenever I'm around Ai, when I'm lying to her… Everything…"

_Raiden, I do believe you're in love with Aika._ "If you've realized what you just told me, you know what you have to do." Raiden stood up and ran back into the room.

"Ai!" Aika jumped at the shout.

"Yeah?" Raiden jumped on the bed.

"Well, I just-no… I wanna te-" Aika put her finger to his lips.

"Shush… Now, can _you_ speak in real sentences?"

_Say it, Say it, Say it!_ Raiden held his breath. "I love you!" He blurted, eyes closed.

"Rai…I-uh…" Raiden opened his eyes and his heart clenched. "Rai…Oh…Uhmm…" Aika noticed the tiny shot of pain gleam in his eyes. _Don't stutter, you idiot! SAY. IT._ "Rai, I love you too." His eyes widened.


	11. Normal

"Y-you do?" Aika smiled and nodded her head. "That's great."

"Yeah, it sure is."

"You do know about Ryuu and Amaterasu, right?" Aika's eyes widened.

"No…They're…?" Raiden nodded his head.

"Yeah, I mean, they're awesome together. If only we had some type of medicine to help her…wait…" Raiden grinned. "What if Uncle Itachi used something on her to flip her from crazy-psychopath to normal?"

"Please, Uncle, Please?"

"That's 1) crazy, 2) an extremely long shot, 3) only an idiot's idea." Aika whimpered.

"Pwese, Uncle 'Tachi? Pwe-" Itachi sighed.

"Hn. Only, _only_ if Hidan says yes." Raiden grinned and Aika was currently freaking out.

"Hiya! That's-awe-some!" Aika punched her fists in the air, alternating.

"Stop." Aika followed orders without a single whine or anything of that nature. Itachi walked down the hallway, heading for the room of Hidan's and his. He knocked on the door and Rix opened it. "Your child wants me to 'fix' Amaterasu."

"Well, I was just sorta discussing that… With myself…" Hidan sighed. "So, yeah." Itachi walked into Amaterasu's room. He grabbed her and tied her to a chair, she struggled and fought back, but that didn't bother the Uchiha.

~X~

"Itachi? Is she okay? Like not insane?" Itachi shrugged.

"Hn." The door was partially open so Aika and Raiden poked their heads in. Amaterasu and Itachi had been in there for a week. Aika and Raiden slowly walked in.

"Yeah? Who's there, I'm not completely stupid." Amaterasu was sitting at her desk, pen in hand, writing away. Aika and Raiden didn't dare speak, maybe she was still insane? "Okay, there's two people there, if you don't speak, you won't be able to."

"Eek! It's me!" Aika squealed. Amaterasu turned around, pen still in hand.

"Hi."

Raiden's eye twitched. _'Hi?' That's it? No 'Aika, you whore.' or 'Aika, go die.'?_

"Raiden, it's not very polite to stare."

"This is coming from the girl who tried to ki-" Aika put Raiden in a choke hold.

"Would you like air?"

"Mph."

"Then shut the hell up." Aika let Raiden go and he inhaled deeply, panting. "Well, Amaterasu, nice to see you're okay, bye." Aika took a hold of the back of Raiden's collar and dragged him away, successfully choking him again.

"Bye, Aika, Raiden." Amaterasu turned back to her writing.

_**Hiya, guys! I have I question for you guys! I know Rix is out of the story by now, but could somebody draw her for me? Just so I know how I portrayed her to you guys. I'd love to see you guys' things! Oh, and a challenge! If anyone would like to, I want someone to draw my favorite scene, the one where Rix is laying on Hagane and playing with his fur; that'd be amazing! I love you guys! **_


	12. Little Masochist

"WOOT! She's normal! ITACHI! THANKS!" Aika sprinted down the hall, arriving in the kitchen within seconds. Raiden arrived moments later, huffing, looking like he was about to pass out. He put his hand against the wall for support.

"Ai, you haven't been out of this house for you're _entire life_, save for the running off, and you can run across this whole base that fast without breaking a sweat?"

"Well, Rai, you're not sweating."

"You know what I mean." Raiden huffed. Aika giggled. "What?" She walked up to him.

"Close your eyes…" She whispered. Raiden was skeptic but followed orders. Aika, quick as a flash, licked Raiden's cheek and took off. Raiden opened his eyes and his jaw dropped, disbelief plastered on his face.

"Raiden, what was that about?" Sasori asked, witnessing the whole thing. Raiden's face turned red.

"AIKA! YOU ARE _SO_ DEAD!" Sasori heard a squeal from down the hall.

"Ooohh…Rai, you gonna hurt me?"

"YES!"

"Who says I won't like it, hmmm?"

"GAH! Raiden took off down the hall. Sasori heard Aika squeal and she came dashing back down the hall.

"Sasori! Save me!" Aika clung to Sasori.

"You're on you're own, kiddo." Sasori pried Aika off of him.

"Ai… Why? Why did you _lick_ me?" Raiden gasped.

"Spur of the moment entertainment?" Raiden motioned for Aika to come over to him. She did.

"You like pain?" Raiden asked seductively.

"Sure." Raiden grabbed her and bit down on the tender flesh at her collar bone, accidentally breaking skin. "YEOW!" Raiden pulled away, in panic of hurting her, he really didn't mean to. "Do that again!" Raiden's jaw dropped.

"You're…Kidding…" Aika touched her fresh wound and winced, a smile broke across her face.

"Oh wow." Raiden's attention was pulled to the growing blood mark on Aika's shirt. "Don't you think you're bleeding a bit much?" Aika looked down.

"That's wonderful." Aika sighed. "KAKUZU!" The stitched nin ran into the kitchen and saw Aika's bloody shirt.

"The hell?" Kakuzu ran over to Aika and tilted her head up to get a better look at the wound.

"It was an accident! I swear!" Aika sighed.

"Shut up, Rai. I know, I know…it's okay, I promise." Aika's warm smile calmed the slight panic and the thoughts of what Kakuzu could-_would_ do to him.

"This'll hurt." Kakuzu brought one of his threads up to sew up the surprising deep wound. Aika winced and hissed but threw her head back. "Wow, too much like your father, I swear."

"He can go burn in hell for all I care." Kakuzu grunted as he snapped the thread.

"Thanks." Aika poked at the stitches and Kakuzu smacked her hand away.

"Don't." Aika nodded and sighed.

"Rai… I'm extremely _bored_! Amuse me."

"What?" Raiden whispered.

"A. Muse. Me."

"Oh, yeah, like I'm gonna respond to every command."

Aika laughed darkly.

"Oh yeah?"

**_I'm not dead!_**

**_Oh my Jashin... It's been forever!__ I'm so sorry, guys.__ First, I got grounde__d, then, I just... didn't do anything. Yeah, I know, It's my fault. Sozzy. =.=_**


	13. A Gift And A Mission's Details

_Rai…? Do you like your sanity?_ "Woah! What did you do to me? That was nothing but scary!" Aika giggled.

"Want me to do it again? I was so bored one day and then I concentrated on nothing and I heard Kakuzu think that Hidan was a moron for practically throwing me to the wind." Aika turned to an astonished Kakuzu. "Right?" Kakuzu slowly nodded his head. "See!"

_Can you hear me?_

Kakuzu blinked. "Yeah…" Aika grinned.

_I am **so** awesome!_ Aika thought to herself.

_See? That gift was perfect. Now… When are you gonna do me that favor?_

_Well, my friend, when the time comes, I'll do it. By the way, Thanks for giving me an easier 'favor'. I really appreciate it._

_No problem, Aika._ Aika giggled and smirked to herself._ Hm, by the way… It's more for you than for me… It'll eventually come back to me but you have to do it._

_Yes, I know._

"Uh…Ai? Being Miss Space Cadet?" Aika glared at Rai.

"Wanna come over here, Dear?" Raiden hesitantly walked toward Aika. As soon as he got close enough she gave him a swift uppercut. "How'd ya like that, Hun?" Raiden liked the blood from the corner of his lip.

"You're so lovely, Angel." Sarcasm was just dripping from those words.

"So you enjoy it, huh?" The sparkle in Aika's eye wasn't usual.

"Anything for you, Ai." Raiden's voice was lightly coated in sarcasm. "Anything for you…" Raiden pulled her to him by her waist.

"Ooh, being naughty?" Raiden sighed.

"Nope, but I do have a question…"

"Hmmm…what might that be?" Raiden looked down.

"Be…mine?" Aika's breath hitched. She stared at Raiden, frozen. Raiden looked back up to her and her face was nearly blue. Raiden released his grip on her and gripped her shoulders giving her a shake. "AI! BREATHE!" Aika took in a beep breath abruptly. "Aika? What do you say?"

"Yes… YES!" Aika squealed. Rai grabbed Aika's chin between his pointer finger and thumb and went in for a kiss.

"Rai." Kakuzu started and Everyone froze at his stern, almost dark voice. Raiden, taking the hint, pulled back.

_Aika, you dare let him touch you and get you pregnant before you pay me that favor… You'll loose your life._

_Woah… I wasn't planning on it, Buddy._

_Jashin._

_Okay, Jashin._

_Remember…_

_Yes, I know, on my first mission I will go to Iwagakure and wipe out the first ever clan of Iwagakure, The Iwa, I know._

_You are aware that-_

_I honestly do not care. So that means don't finish the sentence, for I will block you out._

_You snide little rat._

_Do you want that favor?… Hello? Hello~? Dammit! Screw you!_

_Excuse me?_

_Erm…nothing…_

_That's right._

_**Oh. My. JASHIN! I'm so, so ,so , so, SO sorry that I wasn't able to update! I'm sorry to the nth degree! I've probably driven you guys crazy and lost most of my readers. I just couldn't get on lately and a family member passed away and oh, gosh, I'm just SO SORRY.**_

_**~Bittersweet**_


	14. Training on Her Own

"AIKA!"

"Huh, wha?" Raiden smacked his forehead and Kakuzu sighed.

"We've been calling you and screaming at you for the last 15 minutes. Seriously, you're being Miss. Space Cadet."

"Grr…"

"Hm? Are you a wild animal now?" Kakuzu asked, you could just hear the sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Yeah. Roar. Fear me." Aika blinked. "Hey, when're we gonna have our first missions? I really wanna start training anyways..." As if on cue, Leader walked into the kitchen.

"I need all of the children in my office."

Aika grinned._ Oh yeah, I'm good._ Aika grabbed Raiden by the wrist and bolted to Leader's office "Heh, Rai! Mind getting on your feet, Hun?" Aika stopped and let the disheveled boy stand.

"Aika! Don't break the boy!" Leader shouted after the them. Raiden stood up and swayed just a bit.

"Thank you, Sir!" Aika jerked him by his wrist again and he ran with her instead of being dragged. Aika skidded to a stop and Raiden bumped into her, causing the both of them to fall.

"Okay, once we're off our asses maybe we can see what's going on, ne? So...do you mind getting off of me?" Raiden nodded and stood then held out a hand to help Aika up. She took it and was pulled up in time to be pulled into the room.

"C'mon guys... I hear that we're finally going to be let out of the house to begin training! Isn't that amazing?" Amaterasu squealed.

_Oh yeah, I like her better._ Aika thought, smirking. They walked into Leader's office, where they had been many of times, when their parents were out on missions and they wanted someone to comfort them. Which most of the time they just sat in his lap and watched him do paperwork or trace every little wrinkle on his cloak. Leader was actually the one to teach them how to write and type and things around that matter.

Leader walked into the room of two girls and three boys. "Okay, well, you may or may not have heard that you will be able to be out of the base and begin training for your upcoming missions." Aika smirked.

_And now, I might be able to do you that favor quicker than him finally making up his own mind without my 'help'._

_Good._

_Hn, yeah._

"-Aika, are you even listening?"

_In about a year you will be allowed to be set off into your first mission. Don't get yourself killed and don't end up killing each other-Aika are you listening?_

"'In about a year you will be allowed to be set off into your first mission. Don't get yourself killed and don't end up killing each other-Aika are you listening?' is what you said." Aika smirked.

_Thanks._

_Yeah._

"Anyway, you're dismissed." Aika turned on her heels but was stopped when Leader spoke again. "Wait, we have weapons for you." The five lined up, got a ninja pack and a leg holster then left.

~X~

After about a month of all of the teens talking about how utterly terrifying the world may be and never even considered walking out that door. Aika finally gained the courage and bolted for the door and, for once, nobody stopped her. She kicked down the door and got halfway out when somebody's voice stopped her.

"That wasn't necessary." Aika looked back to see Hidan.

"Hidan, I honestly don't care what's 'necessary' or not to you." Aika shrugged.

"Did you just talk back to me?" Aika shrugged again.

"Hm, I don't know, did I?" Aika winked and turned to slam the door behind her.

_You're a smartass._

_Better a smartass than a dumbass._

"Okay…Let's check out somewhere to start." Aika walked around for a while and found a clearing in the forest next to the hideout. "I guess this'll do." Aika looked around for something to make a target out of. She found a small log and ran back inside to find some rope. She dashed back to her current training spot and hung up her target. "Well, I guess I should start from the ground then go from above…" Aika mumbled to herself. She pulled a kunai and with a flick of her wrist it lodged itself into the wood.

She did this with every one of her weapons she had then pulled every one out of the wood.

_Your aim is pretty good, given that you're a 13-year-old little girl._

_Can it!_

_Watch your mouth!_

_Mind._

_Smartass!_

_LALALALA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!_

_Brat._

"Okay, I'm done arguing with you! Damn you, Jashin!" Aika shouted aloud. She accidentally pricked her finger on a senbon. She popped the bleeding finger in her mouth and continued to pick up her weapons. Aika focused her chakra, as Jashin had taught her, to her feet and ran up the tree. She found a tree branch and stretched out on it. "Yeah, I really don't feel like doing much today, sorry." Aika said lazily.

"Hn. What happened to the 'Let's go Rai!' Aika?" Aika shifted her eyes to Raiden.

"Eh, she left for a while. Come up here with me?" Raiden eyed Aika like she had three heads.

"Well, if you weren't a mile into the air, yeah." Aika looked down.

"Oh. Well, you know how to use chakra?"

"Er…no." Aika sighed and they went trough the process of teaching Raiden to climb trees using his chakra.

"I love you, Sweetie." Aika murmured to the male holding her.

"You better." Aika sighed and buried her face into Raiden's chest more.


	15. Contradiction

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?" Hidan yelled from below.

"Mmph… I'll deal with him." Aika sighed. "Whatever we feel like, mkay?" The two teens felt slight pounding on the tree then it became harder and shook the tree.

"I've had en-" Hidan started.

"ACK!" Aika yelped out of surprise which caused Raiden to jump. Hidan stepped out onto the limb and Raiden lost the balance he had made with Aika in his arms. Aika somehow slipped from Raiden's grip and shortly after she began her decent to the earth. Aika squealed then gathered herself and took a deep breath, extreme panic shaking the intake.

"NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO HELP ME, JASHIN!" Aika screamed.

_You're hopeless._

_Maybe a little help, please?_

_Fine._

Aika suddenly stopped in mid air.

_What'd you do? You're going to help me out!_

_I'm giving you another gift to keep you from dying._

_Oh._

_You officially can fly, embrace it or you **will** loose your life._

_Oh..._

Aika closed her eyes, sighed, then looked up to the two men staring down at her. She looked down at herself to self to see if anything had changed. Her eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder. A black feathered wing was impairing her vision. Aika smiled.

_Oh, yes. That's awesome._

_You're welcome._

_Thank you!_

Aika twirled and slowly took control of the wings. She flew up to the men who were paled. "I know! Aren't they awesome?" Aika hovered in the air, grinning.

_Wow, I suck. Choosing this little runt to be my chosen one, 'Jashin's Demon Angel' Yep, I'm stupid._

_Your choice, not mine. You're screwed._

"So, what 'cha think?" Raiden opened his mouth but closed it.

"You aren't…" Hidan growled. Aika glanced over to him.

"Er…what was it…? 'Jashin's Demon Angel'? If that's it then, yep! That's me!"

_Why must you torture him? He's one of my followers, please leave him alone._

_Hehe, nope! He's a bastard!_

_Your sister was a candidate for where you are, but you came closer to killing her than she came to killing you._

_You told her to kill me?_

_Yes._

_Damn._

"Okay, Babe? Are you still with us?" Aika asked turning to Raiden. Raiden nodded his head, mouth slightly parted.

"You're an Angel, so maybe my nickname was right for you. But you're still even more beautiful than an Angel." Aika giggled.

"Aw! Rai-kun is being a sweet-talker!" Aika closed the space between Raiden and herself to wrap her arms around his neck. "And you know how much I like sweets of any kind." Aika purred seductively.

"Oh, yes, you do enjoy sweets, huh?" Raiden grabbed her waist. Aika wanted the wings to go away so that she can sorta move a bit more. She focused chakra to her back and they folded inwards. She enjoyed these gifts, very much.

"Yes, Sir, I do." Aika giggled.

"I've had enough of you." Aika turned to Hidan.

"I've had enough of you too, well, what do y'know?" Aika's sarcastic voice rang through the air.

"Ai… Maybe you shouldn't be so hard on Hidan-san? I mean, really, you came from him and Rix-san. He has been a part of your life everyday that you have been alive. I guess I don't want to really point this out so bluntly, but I have to. Aika, you're being cruel and unreasonable, I'm not trying to hurt you or anything, but…" Aika flinched. He just crushed his own image of her. That 'Perfect angel' of his has been remodeled into something that contradicts his own words.

"Hn. Okay." Aika turned to Hidan. "I apologize, _Father,_" She said scarcastically. The pain in Hidan's eyes flashed but Aika's eyes were soaked in hurt, practically dripping.

"Uh, Ai? I-I need to tell you something." Aika looked back over to Raiden.

"Hn?"


	16. Not Too Little Too Late

"Um…" _YOU'RE A FREAK! THE 'VOICES' AND THE OTHER BULLSHIT, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!_ "I-I…Uh…I can't…Uh…Handle you."_ Be blunt._ "Seriously, you're _insane_. You're a freak. Who grows wings and yells to something that's not real for help? You've officially been branded as postal and a monster. I'm sorry, kid."

Aika tried to speak but nothing but a choking sound came out. She wrenched her body out of his grasp. "You-you bastard. It's n-not my fault. I-I can't bel-believe you." Aika's tears threatened to spill over. Her voice shook and her face flushed. "I didn't know y-you could be so cruel." Aika stepped backwards and away from Raiden, forgetting that she was on a tree limb. She fell and Hidan lurched forward, as if to stop Aika's decent. She latched her hand onto the tree limb but slowly her grip on the limb began to slip.

"AIKA!" Hidan shouted, running over closer to where she had a hand on the tree. "Aika, keep your grip, I'm gonna help you up. Okay?" Aika nodded her head and her eyes flickered to Raiden who was scared for her too. Hidan reached for his scythe and Aika began to slip.

She whined uncomfortably. It wasn't the blade, no, it was just the image of falling to the earth and meeting an untimely demise, that's all. Hidan's eyes moved to Aika.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna use it on you, Honey."

"Un! I know! Hurry!" Hidan dropped his scythe and let the wire unravel then stopped it by grabbing the wire at some length.

"Put both of your hands on the limb." Aika struggled but eventually did so. "Grab the wire with your right and keep the left on the tree." Hidan instructed, watching her every move. She latched on to the thick wire for dear life, she then moved her other hand above the other. Hidan held his hand down to Aika to pull her up the rest of the way. She latched on and he brought her up onto the tree.

"Oh, God, thank you!" Aika hugged her father, something she hadn't done in years. He was surprised at first but brought his youngest into a warm, much needed hug. They both needed it, Hidan needed the proof of appreciation or love. Aika need it from a heartbreak and for the proof of love from her father. Either way, it was long needed.

"Shh…" Hidan flicked his eyes over to Raiden. If looks could kill, Raiden would have been decapitated twice, chopped up into little pieces, and torched on a barbeque in the space of five seconds. Oh yeah, Hidan was _pissed_. "You inconsiderate bastard!" Hidan's harsh, sharp whisper rung through the air.

"Hn. Whatever, I'm leaving." Raiden looked down and went wide eyed. If only he knew how. He also just made himself a fool.

"So, you can't get your ass down?" Hidan snickered. Raiden sniffed and turned his head away.

"I'll get down, and I can do it by myself." Hidan smirked but nodded. Aika stood and looked over to her father. They began to make their way down back to earth by tree-jumping, leaving Raiden in the tree.

"I'm gonna get something to eat…" Aika mumbled as they entered the base.

"Yeah, that sounds nice right about now." Hidan mumbled as well. Aika walked to the fridge and pulled out an apple. Hidan rummaged around for a while before finding some leftover curry. He walked over to the microwave and heated up his food. Aika took a bite out of her apple and stared into nothing.

Hidan soon heard a low growl and his attention was pulled to Aika. "That little bastard, that mother fucking shithead. He wants to fuck around with my feelings then just drop me like that? He's just a no good fucker. At least he never got into my pants… Hmph, I bet he's still up in that tree. I hope he mother fucking is. That little dick." Hidan chucked. She got his foul language, that's for sure.

"He'll come to his senses. You're a wonderful person." Hidan patted his daughter's back. A thing he wanted to do so badly all the times she cried, instead she ran to Kakuzu.

"Oh, he better be careful, I know where he sleeps. He better not be surprised when I deck him when he gets back." Hidan smiled. Got his sense of violence.

"It'll be fine." Hidan kissed the top of her head and pulled her into a hug. Aika leaned into the comforting warmth.


	17. Jealousy

"Hey! Aika! You okay? Raiden told me…" Hidan let her go and Aika turned around to Ryuu. Interesting…

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine." Aika eyed the boy that hardly ever talked to her.

"Well, I was just wondering, y'know… I can't believe that he did that to you. You can't help it."

Aika grinned.

"Thank you! Somebody that agrees!"

Ryuu chuckled.

"No problem."

Aika sighed.

"Why are just now coming up to me and actually starting a conversation after Jashin only knows how long?" Ryuu looked away.

"Well, that's exactly why, I guess I've ignored you for far too long. Oh, yeah, and Amaterasu hates me now." Aika giggled.

"What happened?" Aika asked, interested.

"Well…" Ryuu pulled out a chair and put it backwards, sitting with the back in front of him, legs on either side of the chair. "Amaterasu just dropped me, insulted me in English _and_ Japanese. Then stormed away. Very unlike her, it was all out of place…" Something clicked in Aika's mind. She bolted upright and grabbed Ryuu's wrist, dragging him halfway into the hallway. "What was that about?"

"Shh, listen." Aika and Ryuu put their ears to Raiden's room.

"Well, it sorta hurt me to do it… You're worth it though."

"Oh, geeze, it was a really bad thing we did."

"Oh, well." Aika busted through the door, rage filling every vein in her body.

"You little bastard! Insulting me and tearing me to pieces when you could've just said 'I want Amaterasu.' and that would be it! Instead of smashing my heart the way you did!" Ryuu took a deep intake of air.

"Aika's right… You, Amaterasu, were being quite the twit. You could've just said you wanted my brother instead of me, it would've been okay. But what you did was completely uncalled for." Ryuu was completely calm, despite Aika's furious state. "Let's go, Aika, let them be." Ryuu ushered her out, softly closing the door behind them.

"I need to hit something…" Aika grumbled. Ryuu sighed.

"As long as it isn't a person, go for it." Aika turned to a wall and put a fist through it, she pulled her arm out of the hole and dusted off all of the little specks of the plaster.

"Okay, all better," Akia murmured

Ryuu smirked.

"Well, that wasn't exactly what I was aiming for, but okay…" Aika giggled.

Sasori stuck his head out into the hallway. "What was that?" Aika laughed nervously.

"Well, Raiden sorta kinda got me pissed off and I punched the wall, that's the summary." Deidara ran into the hallway.

"Un. He hurt you didn't he?" Deidara growled. Aika slowly nodded her head. Deidara stormed off and left Aika confused.

"Well, Aika, Mum gave us a talk about if we hurt our woman, he'll have to 'take care of us'. I'm just guessing that's what he's going to do."

"Ah, I get it. He's gonna get what's coming for him." Ryuu just sighed.

"Yeah." Aika smiled.

"I'm gonna go watch!" Aika turned and almost dashed away but Ryuu's swift hand caught her wrist and she stopped, no fight. Ryuu was still calm as ever and facing the other way.

"No, you're not." Aika sighed.

"Fine." Sasori shook his head and shut the door. Aika's face lit up. "I have an idea!"

"Hmm, and what would that be?" Ryuu asked, only partially interested.

"Jealousy."

"We are _not_ going to do that." Aika put a pout on and looked over to Ryuu, big, puppy dog eyes on—full blast. "Hn, fine. If it doesn't work, I'm sorry." Aika giggled and hugged him.

"Yay!" Ryuu hugged her back and they broke apart.

"You have some twisted ways of dealing with things."

Aika nodded, smirking. "I sure do."


	18. Love

"Ryuu-kun! St-stop it! Eeek! AH! I-I-it t-tickles!" Aika squealed. "Ahhh! G-God! Stop~!" Ryuu was laughing at Aika while tickling her to the point that she almost had no air left. After more laughing at her and a few slaps on the chest, courtesy of Aika, Ryuu spoke.

"We _have_ to stop this, we've been at it for a little over a month." Aika's chest tightened. She had grown really close to Ryuu over this span of time. She had even forgotten about her and Raiden's old relationship.

Ryuu's heart clenched when he said it as well. He actually enjoyed watching the relationship that his was broken up for, they were so happy. He actually felt something for Aika, for some odd reason. Something he didn't feel for Amaterasu. Maybe it was just shame for stooping so low. He didn't know and maybe he didn't want to find out.

"Uh… Maybe just a little longer?" Aika offered.

"No." Aika's eyes filled with hurt. She felt pathetic. Begging for a fake relationship.

"I'm sorry, I'm being a brat. I'll leave you be." Aika stood and let her red bangs cover her face as she hung her head. "Just a low-life brat…" She mumbled to herself as she made the trek to her lonely bedroom. She carelessly swung the door open and let it bang against the wall. She sighed and walked into her room, closing the door and leaning against it. She locked the door with one hand while the other was tracing the grooves in the wood. "Wow… I wonder what he looks like without a shirt…" Aika flinched at her own words. She banged her forehead against the door. "No! No! No! NO! This isn't right! It wasn't meant for this! NO!" Aika hit her forehead on the door again.

Why did she let it happen? When did it happen? How did it happen? She couldn't find an answer. It was just there, and now it was eating at her very soul, eating her alive. It had it's jaws on her and it wasn't letting go. She couldn't wrench herself away, no matter how hard she tried. Oh, God, how she tried.

"I've gotta pull myself together, _now_." Aika sighed. "I can't let this this disrupt Jashin's plan for me…or maybe I can… Errg, I don't know!" Aika screamed out of frustration. "CAN'T ANYTHING STAY SIMPLE!" Aika screeched and hit her forehead repeatedly on the door.

"Aika! Are you okay?" A males voice echoed though her room. She couldn't tell who's. "Aika! Aika! Answer me!" She finally could decode who the voice belonged to, Ryuu. "Aika! Answer me, dammit! AIKA!" He kept pounding his fist on the door. She heard him talk to himself. "I'm gonna have to break the door down, great..." Aika opened the door, looking dozed. Ryuu had his leg ready to strike the door. He flinched and slowly put his foot back on the ground.

"What happened?" Aika hadn't noticed-and probably wouldn't have-that she had a steady stream of blood coming from her forehead, trailing straight down the middle but followed the curve of her face and ran across the slope of her nose then straight down her cheek.

"Eh, is life a good answer?" Aika asked, shrugging.

"Hell no." Ryuu pushed her onto her bed and lifted up her now bloodied bangs to look at the wound. "Stay here." Ryuu demanded. Aika sighed as he dashed out of the room. He came back a moment later, first-aid kit in hand. "You're really stupid, y'know?" Aika nodded her head slowly. Ryuu grabbed a bottle of water to wash all of the blood that was trailing down her face, then grabbed a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide. He dabbed some on a cotton ball and gave her his hand. She put her hand in it and he lifted her bangs. "This'll sting."

Aika nodded her head. Ryuu was about to start cleaning the wound when Aika flinched.

"I didn't even touch it." Aika sighed.

"You licked me." Ryuu looked away and blushed.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Ryuu nodded and dabbed the wound once and Aika flinched again. He kept dabbing at the wound until he deemed it clean enough to put some gauze on it. "Thanks." Aika mumbled.

"Hn. Yeah, what did you do?" Aika looked away.

"Well, nothing really…" Ryuu's eyes narrowed as he pushed some hair out of his face.

"Yeah, 'Nothing, really' made that wound." Aika sighed and shook her head.

"It's nothing." Ryuu bit his lip. That clench of his heart was a painful one.

"Of course it was nothing." Ryuu's words were laced with sarcasm.

"You wouldn't understand."

"You can still talk."

"You can't understand."

"I can listen."

"You'd think bad of me."

"Be reasonable."

"You'd hate me."

"BULLSHIT!" Ryuu roared, standing up and clenching his fists. "There's no way in Hell I'd hate you! Who _could_ hate you? Are you insane? If you don't know that _nobody_ hates you around here, you're blind! If anything, I love you!" Aika snapped her head towards a shock-frozen Ryuu.

"You-you what?" Aika whispered. It all came out, he said what he refused to believe and now it's out there. Those three fateful words were hanging in the air, there was no turning back now. Not ever.

Ryuu opened his mouth but only little sounds of the beginnings of words would come out.

"Well…? Are you fucking around with me or not? If you are, you're one sick bastard." Ryuu flinched.

"I know what my brother did but not all men are here to toy with women." Aika let the words seep in.

"So does that mean…?" Ryuu sighed.

"Yes, Aika, I love you." Aika's stomach did a back flip. Did he really just admit that he loved her? "I also want to tell you something that you never noticed and Raiden took the credit for."


	19. My Story

Aika thought back as far as she could remember but couldn't think of anything. What had it been? Aika watched as Ryuu walked across the room and out of her peripheral vision. She didn't bother to turn around, she was still concentrated on what it had been. He walked back over to her, his hands cupped. It finally clicked. She stared at the rose she had gotten at Christmas all those years ago. Raiden took credit for such a beautiful work made by his brother? Why?

"You did that? You did that for _me_?" Aika eyed the rose.

"Yes, I did. I gave up when you didn't realize it was me all along. I kept my distance, admiring your beauty and ignoring my feelings. I finally told myself it was all for your body, I didn't love you. I then turned to your sister, thinking she was just as good as you would be, I was wrong. She ignored me half of the time, and the times she didn't was when she wanted in my pants." Ryuu sighed. "I couldn't believe it, she was horrible. I always told Raiden the stories she told me to if anybody asked. They painted a beautiful picture of a perfect couple, only the painting was horrid on the other side of the canvas. After Itachi had done whatever to her, she was better, ignoring me all together. Then she wanted me back, and I had to be the idiot and let her have me." Ryuu looked away. "She became abusive. Even after the beatings, I refused to let her take my virginity." Ryuu sighed and continued.

"Your first time should be special, not only out of lust, but love. I wondered if all girls hit like that. She didn't hit my face, she said it was a waste of my perfect features, I just think it was to keep everybody else out of it. I was her personal punching bag. Her own little torture doll. She never took a sharp object to me though. I was so glad she didn't, she once again said it'd only be a waste." Ryuu sighed again. "I had no idea, you always hear those stories about how the husband or father is abusive. It truly was terrifying." Ryuu smiled bittersweetly. "She always yelled at me for begging her to stop. She said the same thing every time. 'You're not bleeding, you're not scarring, stop crying, you twit. I can do it because you won't stop me.' But, you do bleed and you do scar. She had absolutely no right to do what she did, or more thereof, what she's doing." Aika gasped.

"Shush. I'll be fine." Aika's face filled with rage. She shot up and flew her arms into the air, when she brought them down they slapped her thighs.

"Like Hell! Why didn't you tell? That's horrible!" Ryuu sighed.

"Shush, Aika, it'll be fine."

"No, no it won't. NO! You can't let her do this to you! She might go to the point of _raping _you to get her way! _Raping_ you, Ryuu! _Raping _you, goddammit!" Aika's breaths were heavy and fast. "She'll pay! I swear, she'll pay! If it comes to it, it'll be her life!" Ryuu sighed.

"You will not murder your sister over me." Aika stomped her right foot, almost shattering it when it came in contact with the stone ground.

"Oh, really? You think it won't? There's no way in Hell I wouldn't! I'd kill her if she was doing that to Raiden, even if she did it to somebody I barely knew ! GOD! You don't know how bad I want to rip her very soul from her body!" Ryuu shot up and held Aika's shoulders.

"Woah, girl! Calm down! Don't go homicidal on me!"

"Oh, if other people weren't here to stop me, she'd be begging for her life _right now_!" Ryuu sighed, giving Aika a slight shake.

"No. You won't do that."

"But-" Ryuu gave her a stern look. "Fine, but I'm gonna set her straight!"

"No, you wont." Ryuu sighed. "Would you like this to get worse?" Ryuu let go of her shoulders and took off his shirt. Bruises were strewn across pale, otherwise perfect skin.

"Oh, oh, God..." Aika ghosted her fingers across Ryuu's toned stomach, almost to test if it was really real. To see if she passed out from the excessive banging of her head on the door. It was real, all too real. "Oh... Oh..." Aika's voice was a concerned coo, of sorts.

She lent down and tenderly kissed his bruised skin, cooing the same sound every time she looked at a new bruise.

"Stop, I don't need sympathy." Aika looked at him with tear-filled eyes, threatening to spill over. "And I don't need to see you cry either, Ai-chan." Ryuu pulled Aika to him by her waist and kissed the top of her head. "I'll make it stop, I promise, but as soon as I do, will you...be mine?" Aika grasped his shirt and twisted it, holding back tears

"No, you won't do this alone... I won't let you, you'd be hurt again..."

"Aika... Did you even-"

"Yes, Ryuu, I'll be yours."

"Okay, that's great. It'll be real this time, just us, we won't care about anybody else." Ryuu hugged her tighter. "Alright?" Aika mumbled something unintelligible and nodded her head.

"But, you have to promise... We _have_ to do this together, two is better than one. Nobody knows what she might do if you try to do this alone, together we can get through this, only together..."


	20. The Pettiest of Things

"You really need to stop this, Amaterasu." Amaterasu sighed.

"I've quit, he's no fun anymore." Aika felt a nerve under her right eye twitch.

"_No fun_? Are you kidding?" Ryuu stood beside Aika awkwardly, fidgeting.

"No, I'm not kidding, if you mind, I would like to-"

"Continue to suck face with Raiden? Sure." Aika looked over to Ryuu and he looked over to her, uncertainty in his eyes. "C'mon, Ryuu, let's go." Aika softly pushed Ryuu out of the room, they walked out into the living room and sat on the couch. "Ryuu, are you okay, Hun?"

"Yeah, it was... weird." Ryuu sighed. "I felt like she should have been beating me or something. It was like a routine." Aika laid her head in Ryuu's lap, staring up at him.

"I'm sorry. Y'know what, though?" Ryuu blinked, confused with the small smile tugging at Aika's lips.

"What?"

"I love you. I really do." Ryuu bent down and kissed Aika for the first time. Warmth spread through him, and he basked in it, loving every second.

"I love you, too.

_The pettiest of things,_

_ Hurt,_

_ Laughter,_

_ Smiles,_

_ Pouts,_

_ Screams,_

_ Sighs,_

_ Cries,_

_ And_

_ Most of all,_

_ Love,_

_ But_

_ These themselves_

_ Are the best._


End file.
